Single mode operation of cw dye lasers

This paper describes an investigation of the special problems of single mode operation in cw dye lasers. Single mode operation in homogeneously broadened lasers can be obtained, if the gain due to spatial hole burning is compensated by dispersive elements, as prisms, Fabry-Pérot etalons and single dielectric interfaces within the resonator. The gain and the influence of the dispersive elements were calculated for two commonly used types of resonators. The calculations make it possible to design simple continuously tunable single-mode systems.     

Simultaneous operation of distributed feedback and grating tuned dye lasers

Multiphoton absorption (MPA) of the CO₂ laser 9 μmR(30) line (pulse width 60 ns, FWHM) by NH₃ and NH₃/N₂ mixtures was studied as a function of gas composition, pressure and laser fluence (Φ). MPA occurs for Φ smaller than those that have been used for optically pumped NH₃/N₂ lasers; consequently a simple two-level absorption model will not adequately describe laser action in these systems. The photon energy deposited in NH₃/N₂ mixtures can be calculated from the MPA cross-section and the fluence dependence of the illumination geometry. An examination of the efficiency of conversion of this absorbed energy to the reported radiant energy of optically pumped NH₃/N₂ lasers shows an optimum value which depends on pressure, and gas composition.     

Single-mode operation of diode lasers coupled to hemispherical resonators

Uncoated GaAs diode laser of different structures are coupled to external spherical mirrors. The emission characteristics of these systems are investigated. Mode selection effects are observed and single-mode operation may be achieved in the hemispherical resonator case if the length of the external cavity resonator is close to the optical diode length. Low coupling losses between the diode and the resonator are characteristic in this case and result in an increase of light output at coupling.     

Intensity fluctuations of lasers in intensity coupled two-mode operation

The Fokker-Planck equation of a two-mode laser is solved both by expansion in products of single-mode eigen-functions and in quasi-linear approximation. Auto-correlation times and cross-correlation times are presented.     

位相共轭镜耦合到染料激光器中的频移现象

本文建议了一个测量位相共轭镜耦合到染料激光器后,当波长自扫描时,BaTiO_3晶体内的运动光栅的多普勒频移的方法,实验结果表明,多普勒频移Δf<0.2Hz.进一步的分析显示,多普勒频移不能解释朝长波方向扫描的波长自扫描现象.     

Polymethine dye lasers

The polymethine dyes are important materials for dye lasers in the longer wavelength range. It is a remarkable feature of these dyes that there are many whose chemical structures differ little from each other. Using these dyes, intense coherent light at any wavelength from 710 to 1100 nm can be obtained by ruby laser pumping. We report the spectroscopic properties of polymethine dyes and give some discussion about the influence of chemical structure. Several correlations, found between chemical structure and spectroscopic properties, are useful for the estimation of the properties of unknown polymethine dyes. Two experiments on chemical discoloration of polymethine dyes are also reported.     

FM dye lasers

We have investigated the detailed operation of a frequency modulated dye laser (FML). The FML consists of a standing wave Rh6G dye laser with an intracavity transverse ADP phase modulator which is driven at a frequency close to the cavity mode spacing. An ideal FML output consists of a laser beam which is constant in amplitude but sinusoidally varying in frequency. This provides a source of many laser modes which are equally spaced by the modulation frequency. Several dye laser configurations have been investigated. Measurements of the mode intensities, total power, amplitude modulation and rf beat amplitudes have been made as a function of the rf driving frequency of the phase modulator. The FM laser obtained has been frequency stabilised by locking it to a reference interferometer and also by frequency offset locking it to a single-frequency dye laser.     

Lifetime measurements using stepwise excitation by two pulsed dye lasers

The 4²D level of sodium was populated in a stepwise excitation process involving two pulsed dye lasers. The lifetime of the 4²D level was derived from the decay of the fluorescence intensity.     

Dual-wavelength operation of a figure-eight fiber laser

We study numerically an erbium-doped figure-eight fiber laser including a double-band-pass optical filter for dual-wavelength pulse generation. Simulations are performed for several values of the filter band-width and wavelength separation between the transmission windows. The results show that dual-wavelength mode-locking is obtained in most cases, with a balanced energy distribution between wavelengths. Due to cavity dispersion, the pulses at each wavelength are asynchronous for a large wavelength separation, whereas they are synchronous for closely spaced wavelengths, as in this case cross-phase modulation is able to compensate for the dispersion-induced walkoff. In the asynchronous case, dual-wavelength operation is favored by the filter loss, whereas in the synchronous case it is favored by the saturable absorber action of the nonlinear optical loop mirror. Simulations also show that, thanks to those stabilization mechanisms, dual-wave-length pulsed operation does not require precise cavity loss equalization between the two oscillating wave-lengths.     

Solid-state polymeric dye lasers

This paper presents a review of the organic solid-state polymer materials, which have become established as a new laser media. The photostability of these materials is discussed. Different types of solid-state lasers built around these materials are also reviewed.     

Mode-locked CW dye lasers

Mode-locking of CW dye lasers are described. Three different methods: active mode-locking by acoustic loss modulation, pumping with mode-locked pulses and passive mode-locking by a saturable absorber, all resulted in stable continuous trains of tunable mode-locked pulses of various duration. Best results were obtained using passive mode-locking by a saturable absorber. The pulse lengths for this case were measured by auto-correlation technique to be as short as 1.5 ps. Factors influencing the mode-locking and possible improvements are discussed.     

Spectral properties of dye lasers

Starting from conventional rate equations describing the multimode operation of a laser with a broad homogeneous emission line, a system of approximately valid equations, suitable for both analytical and numerical studies of the spectral properties of laser radiation not too far from threshold, has been derived by introducing equations of motion for the spatial Fourier components of the inversion densityN(z, t), thus replacing the equation of motion forN(z, t) itself. Analytical solutions for steady-state operation were found and physically discussed in the following cases: (a) ring laser, (b) jet-stream laser with the active medium positioned either near one of the (Fabry-Perot) resonator mirrors or in the centre of the resonator, and (c) laser with a Fabry-Perot resonator completely filled with the active medium. The spectra thus calculated indicate that spatial hole burning is most efficient in providing mode co-existence in configuration (c), where it gives rise to a significant bandwidth. It is of minor importance, however, in case (b), where the spectrum differs only slightly from that of a ring laser, which is clearly free from hole-burning effects.     

Broadband tunability of dye lasers

A double compartment dye cell to hold two or more dyes has been found to increase the frequency range of dye lasers. Results are compared with those obtained by mixing the same two dyes in a single cell. The dye cells are transversely pumped by a nitrogen laser. Broadband tunability results from dyes having similar absorption ranges but different Stokes shifts.     

Quantum theory of dye lasers

A quantum model of dye laser is given. To account for triplet losses a six levels model for the molecular system is assumed. The solution of generalized von Neumann equation in thermodynamical limit leads to a system of kinetic equations. Stationary solutions of this system are discussed. There are two distinct types of dependence of photon number versus pumping parameter. Beside a usual one, a new dependence characteristic for dye lasers only is present. In this case the definition of threshold should be revised.     

Coherent combining of two fiber lasers in a Michelson-type coupled cavity

Coherent combining of two fiber lasers using a Michelson-type coupled cavity has been demonstrated experimentally. To make the fiber lasers combined efficiently, two convergent lenses are introduced into the two arms of the coupled cavity, and an f-f arrangement is specially configured for the cavity to improve internal feedback. When the lenses are taken away, the output power decreases to nearly 78.5% of its original value, and the coherent state become less stable than before. Through tuning the FBG (fiber Bragg grating) of one fiber laser, the converting process from incoherent state to coherent state is investigated, and the spectrums, output power and the beam patterns all indicate that the brightness of coherent state increases to nearly twice of incoherent state’s, i.e. four times of component laser’s.     

Prospects for vapor-phase dye lasers

This review covers the field of vapor-phase dye lasers (VPDL) with special emphasis on prospects of gas lasers with optical pumping. Some peculiarities of the gaseous active medium and a possibility to control its density near the critical point are discussed. High specific laser energies (0.3J/cm^–3), low thresholds, and high efficiencies (20–40%) made it possible to construct a powerful tunable VPDL.     

Triplet losses in dye lasers

The expression for losses due to triplet states in dye laser considered as a six-level system is given. It is shown that triplet losses depend on pumping parameters and photon number. Depending on molecular and cavity parameters two different behaviours of dye lasers are expected. Physical conditions are discussed in which triplet losses as well as photon number undergo a jump at the threshold.